The stage was set. The calm ocean breeze and the warm gurgling of the sea presented a unique sense of clarity. It was just me and….. my first cigarette.
Having spent my teenage years abhorring cigarettes and the entire act of smoking, here I lay by myself at the beach, about to smoke my very first cigarette. Now, what led to this change in heart? Well, I realized that perhaps my misplaced notions about smoking was actually born out of the so called ‘education’ I was subjected to.
You see, smokers are often projected as enemies of the state and as kids, we are taught that smoking is bad and those who smoke are even worse. But as I experienced the world outside the four walls of the classroom, I finally understood where I was wrong.
Smoking offers something much more than just temporary relief and pleasure. It’s freedom. The freedom to express yourself the way you feel like, irrespective of the status quo and with gay abandon. Smokers are more confident about themselves because in spite of what the world preaches, they ignore the noise and just get it done. I have personally seen my friends replicate this and that made me perceive smokers in a different light. Unity World Smokers
As I puffed on my first ever cigarette, I felt a sense of relief. Perhaps, my first ever cigarette gave me a whole new perspective on life. I did not have to conform to the rules as they were and finally understood my true identity. My first cigarette revealed a side to me that made me the person I am today, and I can’t be more thankful for that one night I decided to light up.
Ansh’s Sutta Story
I’m not like most people at parties. I don’t like carrying a fancy purse or engaging in small talk. And am certainly no pro at making holding a starter, a handbag and a conversation seem effortless. I literally show up at a party with nothing but my Classic Ice Burst. I feel it helps me attract my kind of people. I mean… Think about it…
Showing up to a party with your cigarette can potentially say a lot about you. Perhaps that you’re not one for the “what’s up?” or a forced, “how’s it going?” that literally leads to no response or an awkward, “not much.” In fact, it lets people know that you’re down to chill, have meaningful conversations and not one to talk a lot about well, nothing. I’ve made a lot of lovely friendships like this. Which is why I thought I’d recommend it to you.
Ooooh! Also, carrying your cigarette wherever you go, gives you a little escape from any and everything life throws at you. I like to call it my very own punctuation mark. I sometimes use as a comma for when I want to pause from my overload of work. Sometimes as a semicolon for when I need that occasional cut off from the world. And most exciting of all, a full stop too. Because after a full stop comes another sentence with an opportunity to change the narrative.
A cigarette makes me feel like I belong; it quells my insecurity and helps me go from just standing awkwardly in a corner at a party, to smoking comfortably and engaging with like-minded people. And if there aren’t any, my cigarette is great company too. Helps me calmly pass the time.
I personally don’t think just the act of smoking makes a smoker. It’s so much more! To me, smoking is part of my personality, as I am casual, light-hearted, and not taking life too seriously. I am also a smoker. Never felt the same way towards a heavy, fancy purse. What about you?
